&#39;D&#39; vent lath for support of roofing tiles on an inclined roof

ABSTRACT

A long life lath for a tile roof is provided. The lath is having water passage channels through opposing sides of the lath to allow water to drain from behind the lath by passing through the lath. The lath comprising a rigid structural expanded plastic material, the material selected to be impervious to rot in the presence of moisture. The channels through the lath permitting air to circulate up the roof between the rows of lath to further dry the roofing substrate materials.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosures made herein relate generally to structural support materials utilized in tile roofing, particularly to lath strips installed to a roofing substrate and spaced at intervals vertically up the roof to receive, mount and support roof tiles, and even more particularly to lath strips having water drainage vents there-through to prevent water and moisture buildup between the lath strips.

BACKGROUND

A tile roof on a residential or commercial building is often seen as a desirable, both from the long term durability of the roofing tiles themselves, as well as for the ornamental character the tiles impart to the structure. Roofing tile materials include lower cost concrete tiles as well as traditional fired clay. Clay tile has one of the longest life expectancies among historic roofing materials-generally about 100 years and often several hundred. Yet, a regularly scheduled maintenance program is necessary to prolong the life of any roofing system. The popularity of clay tile as well as look alike substitute tile materials such as concrete continues in the present day, particularly in the southern and western states, more particularly California and Florida, where the Mediterranean and Spanish style influences of architecture still predominate. More recent roofing practices require that tiles be laid on solid 1-inch wood sheathing felted with coated base sheets of at least 30 pounds, or built-up membranes or single-ply roof membranes for waterproofing. In tile roofs the tiles, particularly concrete tiles, are not truly waterproof especially at lower pitch angles. Water can seep up under the tiles, and in the case of porous tiles, even seep through the face of the tile. This allows water to build up under the tile on the substructure of the tile roof. In such cases the roof sheathing felt or membrane provides the final and complete water seal protection for the home or building. The presence of water trapped against the roofing substrate under the tile as well as moisture trapped under the tile all contribute to wood rot of the tile support lath and roof support substructure. Roof life can be significantly shortened by the growth of moss, lichens, fungi and bacterial spores on the wood components underneath the tile, all which flourish in the presence of water. Continued exposure to water under the tile leads to the eventual failure of the tile supporting wood lath members, deterioration of the nails securing the tiles to the lath and the lath to the sheathing, as well as deterioration of the roof underlay material. Due to these effects, a tile roof that in theory can last 100 years often needs to be removed within much shorter intervals, sometimes within eight to ten years, to replace rotted tile lath, roofing sheathing and water barrier membranes on the sheathing. In such cases much of the original tile can often be reused and reinstalled on the roof after the wood rot problems are addressed, but at very significant and totally unnecessary cost.

To further illustrate, in conventional tile roofing systems the sheathing wood panels are first nailed to the roof rafters. A roofing felt or plastic membrane is then overlaid on the sheathing to provide the seal against rain and snow, both from precipitation as well as water carried upwards under the tiles by the action of wind. Wood laths, which are conventionally 1-inch by 2-inch wood strips of nominally 4 foot to 8 foot lengths are then under nailed to the sheathing. The laths are nailed to span the horizontal width of the roof and are spaced at regular intervals up the roof, one typical spacing in tile roofing, for example only, being about 18 inch intervals. The actual spacing depends upon the length of the tile and the amount of overlap of one tile upon the lower row of tiles. Tiles are then placed onto the laths. Many tiles have a lip portion at their upper end to catch upon the edge of the lath. One or more nails are then driven through holes provided in the upper portion of the tile and then into the lath to secure the tile to the lath and support sheathing. In conventional tile roofing practice such lath material is conventionally cedar.

A disadvantage of the conventional tile lath is that the lath forms a horizontal water barrier on the inclined roof substrate, inhibiting free drainage of accumulated water and allowing water and moisture to collect under the tile and puddle against the wood lath, thereby allowing wood rot to occur in the underlay materials and corrosion of the nails securing the lath and tiles to occur, all of these leading to a premature failure of the tile support substrate members.

Therefore, a support lath for use under roofing tiles which eliminates the accumulation of puddles of water against the lath, nails and roofing substrate, a lath which provides drainage channels through the lath to prevent such water accumulation thereby providing free drainage, a lath that is not a wood product and thereby avoids problems of lath failure due to wood rot, a lath that is convenient for the roofer to use and results in a more durable and long lasting tile roof system, such a tile lath would be useful and novel.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Accordingly, embodiments of the inventive disclosures made herein comprise long life tile roof lath strip having water passage channels to allow water to pass through the lath and to allow air to circulate up the roof between the rows of lath to further dry the roofing substrate materials.

In one embodiment of the inventive disclosures made herein, a tile roof lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure comprises an elongated block-like lath member having a plurality of ‘D’ or ‘U’ shaped elongated vent and drainage grooves set into the bottom face of the lath, the grooves extending through the opposing sidewalls of the lath. The vent and drainage grooves are aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal or lengthwise axis of the lath strip and are positioned against the base of the lath to prevent water accumulation behind the lath. The combination vent drainage grooves are at regularly spaced intervals along the bottom face of the lath so that the bottom face of the lath has a regularly spaced series of openings under the lath and against the sheathing through which water can drain and through which air can circulate to dry the lath and sheathing under the tile.

In a second embodiment of the inventive disclosures made herein, a tile roof lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure comprises the elements of the first embodiment with the modification such that the materials of the lath strip comprises a plastic composite material resistant to weathering and impervious to structural decomposition from exposure to water.

In a third embodiment of the inventive disclosures made herein, a tile roof lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure comprises the elements of the first embodiment but with a lath strip material comprising a rigid structural polyurethane plastic, preferably an expanded polyurethane material, the material providing a structurally rigid form suitable for support of roofing tiles, together with an expanded plastic lath strip core that is more permissive of allowing nails to be driving into or through the plastic lath without splitting the lath.

In a fourth embodiment of the inventive disclosures made herein, a tile roof lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure comprise the elements of the third embodiment with the modification that the plastic composite material comprises a virgin polyurethane plastic blended with recycled plastic to make an environmentally friendly expanded plastic composite lath product.

In another set of embodiments of the inventive disclosures made herein, a tile roof lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure comprises the elements of the second, third or fourth embodiment with the modification that the plastic material of the lath has a hot pink color, making the product easily identifiable from conventional wood lath.

It is an objective of the inventive disclosure made herein to provide a tile roof lath strip that avoids the problems of wood rot as well as the premature failure of the lath strip that the wood rot can cause.

It is an objective of the inventive disclosure made herein to provide a tile roof lath strip that eliminates the puddling of water against the horizontal lath strips on an included roof by providing a plurality of drain and vent grooves at the base of the lath and through the sides of the lath.

It is an objective of the inventive disclosure made herein to provide a tile roof lath strip that by design extends the life of tile roof sheathing and substrate by draining water from the tile underlay material and providing for air flow through the lathing rows up the roof to dry out moisture trapped between the tiles and underlay material.

It is an objective of the inventive disclosure made herein to provide a tile roof lath strip comprising a rigid structural expanded plastic, the expanded plastic having trapped air spaces within to allow nails to be driven into the plastic lath and through the lath without splitting the lath.

These and other objects of the invention made herein will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and associated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred; however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a portion of a vented lath strip in accordance with the inventive disclosures presented herein.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a vented lath installed over a sheathing and water-proof membrane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In preparation for explaining the details of the present inventive disclosure, it is to be understood by the reader that the invention is not limited to the presented details of the construction, materials and embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as the invention concepts are clearly capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and realized in various ways by applying the disclosure presented herein.

Turning now to FIG. 1:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a portion of a ‘D’ or ‘U’ vent lath strip in accordance with the inventive disclosures presented herein. The vent lath strip 1 having ‘U’ shaped vent and drainage grooves 2 extending between opposing sidewalls 3 of the lath. The groove cut into the bottom surface 4 of the lath so as to divide the bottom surface into a plurality of sub-surfaces. Typical envisioned dimensions for a ‘D’ vent lath strip are listed in Table 1. The vented lath strip of the present inventive disclosure is not limited to the dimensions presented in Table 1, but to the contrary can be manufactured to any dimensions deemed appropriate for the tiling application at hand. TABLE 1 Nominal dimensions (in inches) Version A B C 1 0.75 1.5 96 2 1 2 96

Turning now to FIG. 2:

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the vented lath installed over a sheathing and water-proof membrane. Roofing tiles 4 rest upon vented lath strips 1. The laths 1 are installed substantially horizontally across the width of the roof sheathing 7 and water-proof membrane. Laths are secured to the sheathing by nails 8 driven through the lath and into the sheathing at substantially regular distances along the length of the lath. Lath are spaced in a parallel fashion at regular distances 10 up the roof sheathing 7, the distance depending on the dimensions of the tile and amount of overlap between rows of tile. A typical distance being roughly 18 inches. Roofing tiles are typically and conventionally provided with one or more holes 5 through which nails 6 are driven to secure the tile to the lath 1. Tiles typically and conventionally have a lip 9 which serves to catch onto a back side surface of the lath and provides additional support to prevent the tile from sliding off the inclined roof. The ‘D’ vent lath 1 of the present inventive disclosure having a plurality of vent and drainage grooves 2 extending between opposing sidewalls 3 of the lath, the grooves preventing the buildup of water behind the lath strip and provided openings through which air can circulate up the roof between the tiles and the roof substrate comprising the sheathing and waterproof membrane or felt.

The discussed construction, illustrations and sequence of operation is for one embodiment of the invention, but is in no way limiting to other embodiments. The operating modes may be changed and enhanced without deviating from the intention of this inventive disclosure.

In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments and certain variants thereof have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical, material, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid unnecessary detail, the description omits certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A lath for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure, the lath comprising: an elongated block like lath member having a plurality of ‘U’ shaped elongated vent grooves set into a bottom face of the lath like member, the grooves extending through opposing sidewalls of the lath member, the grooves aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the block like lath member, the grooves substantially regularly spaced arrangement through the bottom face of the lath.
 2. The lath according to claim 1, wherein the lath member comprises a plastic composite material resistant to weathering and impervious to structural decomposition from exposure to water.
 3. The lath according to claim 2, wherein the plastic composite material is a rigid structural expanded polyurethane plastic providing a structurally rigid form suitable for support of roofing tiles while permissive of allowing nails to be driven into or through the plastic lath without splitting the lath.
 4. The lath according to claim 2, wherein the plastic composite material comprises a virgin polyurethane plastic blended with recycled plastic to make an environmentally friendly expanded plastic composite lath product.
 5. The lath according to claim 3, wherein the plastic material of the lath has a hot pink color, making the product easy to identify over wood lath.
 6. A lath strip for supporting a plurality of roofing tiles on an inclined roof structure, the lath comprising an elongated rectangular strip lath member having a plurality of ‘U’ shaped elongated vent grooves set into a bottom face of the strip, the grooves extending through opposing sidewalls of the lath strip, the grooves aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the block like lath strip, the grooves in substantially regularly spaced arrangement through the bottom face of the lath strip, wherein the lath strip comprises a rigid structural expanded polyurethane plastic providing a structurally rigid form suitable for support of roofing tiles while permissive of allowing nailed to be driving into or through the plastic lath without splitting the lath, and wherein the lath strip has a hot pink color to allow easy identification over conventional wood lath.
 7. The lath strip of claim 6, wherein the sidewalls have a nominal height of 0.75 inch, top face of the strip has a nominal width of 1.5 inches; and wherein the lath strip has a length along the longitudinal axis of nominally 8 feet.
 8. The lath strip of claim 6, wherein the sidewalls have a nominal height of 1 inch, top face of the strip has a nominal width of 2 inches; and wherein the lath strip has a length along the longitudinal axis of nominally 8 feet. 